Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

James Reese Europe

Role / Field:

Pioneering ragtime and early jazz bandleader, key figure in 1910s African-American music.

Born:

1880-02-22

Died:

1919-05-09

Century / Era:

1880s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

James Reese Europe (February 22, 1880 – May 9, 1919) was an American ragtime and early jazz bandleader, arranger, and composer. A leading figure in New York City's African-American music scene during the 1910s, he was among the first African-American musicians to achieve mainstream recognition. Eubie Blake called him the "Martin Luther King of music". Europe was born in Mobile, Alabama, to Henry Jefferson Europe (1848–1899) and Loraine Saxon (1849–1930).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

When he was 10 years old, his family – including four siblings, Minnie Europe (Mrs. George Mayfield; 1868–1931), Ida S. Europe (1870–1919), John Newton Europe (1875–1932), and Mary Loraine (1883–1947) – relocated to Washington, D.C. In 1904, Europe moved to New York. He had a son, James Reese Europe, Jr.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

(1917–2001) with Bessie Simms (1888–1931). In 1910, Europe organized the Clef Club, a society for Black Americans in the music industry. In 1912, the club made history when it played a concert at Carnegie Hall for the benefit of the Colored Music Settlement School. The Clef Club Orchestra, while not a jazz band, became the first band to play proto-jazz at Carnegie Hall – 12 years before the Paul Whiteman...

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Frequently Asked Questions about James Reese Europe